❓ Dr. Nahan questions the Premier about concerns raised by the Department of Premier and Cabinet regarding Huawei's involvement in the automatic train control system. The Premier denies knowledge and accuses the opposition of mishandling confidential information.
AnsweredQoN 522Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS —
HUAWEI
522. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
Given that the Premier has had 24
hours to receive advice on the national security concern regarding Huawei and
the automatic train control system, can he confirm that his own department—the
Department of the Premier and Cabinet—raised concerns in writing to the
commonwealth Department of Home Affairs, describing the long-term potential
implications of Huawei on the future automatic train control system? I quote:
they referred to these concerns as ''severe''.
HUAWEI
522. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
Given that the Premier has had 24
hours to receive advice on the national security concern regarding Huawei and
the automatic train control system, can he confirm that his own department—the
Department of the Premier and Cabinet—raised concerns in writing to the
commonwealth Department of Home Affairs, describing the long-term potential
implications of Huawei on the future automatic train control system? I quote:
they referred to these concerns as ''severe''.
AnswerView source ↗
I am unaware of what the opposition
leader is referring to. I am aware that there were confidential briefings given
to the opposition on this matter, in which opposition staff members went and
took photographs of documents that were tabled at the meeting that were to be
returned.
Mrs L.M. Harvey : Rubbish!
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is what
they did!
Mrs L.M. Harvey : Rubbish!
Prove it!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Not only is
the Leader of the Opposition being white-anted; the Liberal Party is white-anting
the security information being given to it. Now, we do know—I answered
all the questions around this—there was a process independent of the
cabinet and government to select a tenderer for the digitised communication
system between the headquarters of the Public Transport Authority and train
drivers. Somehow, the Liberal Party is trying to turn this into Watergate, or
there will somehow be all these spies sitting there in Beijing listening to the
conversations between train drivers on the Joondalup line and headquarters.
Somehow, in the Leader of the Opposition's befuddled mind, he thinks
that is a big security issue. I am unaware of which correspondence the Leader
of the Opposition is referring to. If he wants to table the photographed
letters his staff took, maybe then I will be able to give him an answer.
leader is referring to. I am aware that there were confidential briefings given
to the opposition on this matter, in which opposition staff members went and
took photographs of documents that were tabled at the meeting that were to be
returned.
Mrs L.M. Harvey : Rubbish!
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is what
they did!
Mrs L.M. Harvey : Rubbish!
Prove it!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Not only is
the Leader of the Opposition being white-anted; the Liberal Party is white-anting
the security information being given to it. Now, we do know—I answered
all the questions around this—there was a process independent of the
cabinet and government to select a tenderer for the digitised communication
system between the headquarters of the Public Transport Authority and train
drivers. Somehow, the Liberal Party is trying to turn this into Watergate, or
there will somehow be all these spies sitting there in Beijing listening to the
conversations between train drivers on the Joondalup line and headquarters.
Somehow, in the Leader of the Opposition's befuddled mind, he thinks
that is a big security issue. I am unaware of which correspondence the Leader
of the Opposition is referring to. If he wants to table the photographed
letters his staff took, maybe then I will be able to give him an answer.
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